Apparatuses of this kind are used to locally pierce the skin, whereby a substance can then be introduced into the skin. For example, this substance can be a dye for producing a tattoo or can be permanent make-up. However, the introduction of a medical or a cosmetic substance via the skin can also be enabled in this way.
Handheld units that have a modular structure are known. Known handheld units have a drive module and a needle module coupled thereto, wherein the modules can be releasably connected. A drive device, for example a drive motor, is provided in a housing of the drive module. A driving force with a repetition frequency is thus provided by means of the drive device. The needle module coupled to the drive module has a piercing device, which can comprise a single needle or a group of needles. The piercing device is arranged on a needle holder, which can be moved back and forth in the housing of the needle module in the longitudinal direction. With the aid of a coupling mechanism, the driving force provided by the drive device is transferred from the drive device to the needle holder, so that the needle holder is moved back and forth with the piercing device during operation, whereby a piercing tip of the piercing device is arranged outside the housing of the needle module, at least in a distal position, and therefore the skin can be locally pierced.
Document DE 10 2014 012 896 A1 discloses an adapter with amplitude reduction for repeatedly piercing organic skin in order to introduce substances. The adapter has a first mass-spring system, consisting of an exchangeable drive-side coupling mechanism with a drive rod, which is guided slidingly in the axial bearings of the housing, and a spring element. The adapter also has a second mass-spring system, consisting of the spring elements, the spring block, the output rod, which is guided slidingly in the output-side axial bearings of the housing, and an exchangeable output-side coupling mechanism. The two spring systems are configured in such a way that a repetitive movement introduced into the drive side with a stroke X is converted with little loss into a smaller stroke Y on the output side.
In document DE 20 2010 013 095 U1, an apparatus for repeatedly piercing skin is described. The apparatus comprises a housing, a drive device, which is received in the housing and is configured to provide a driving force, a coupling mechanism, which is received in the housing, and a piercing device, which is coupled to the drive device by means of the coupling mechanism in such a way that the driving force is coupled by means of the coupling mechanism to the piercing device for a repeating piercing movement. Here, the piercing device comprises a base with a distal active surface formed thereon, with a plurality of spaced-apart piercing elements distributed over the active surface, wherein the base with the distal active surface formed thereon is mounted such that it can be tilted relative to the housing.
Document EP 2 796 164 A1 discloses a tattooing machine for introducing tattooing ink into human skin with the aid of a tattooing needle, which comprises a drive motor for driving the tattooing needle, a transmission unit, and a needle holder for accommodating the tattooing needle. The transmission unit converts a driving movement of the drive motor into a puncturing movement of the tattooing needle, causing said needle to penetrate the human skin. The transmission unit has a tilting lever, which in response to the driving movement of the drive motor performs a tilting movement. The tilting movement of the tilting lever actuates the tattooing needle into the puncturing movement. The tilting lever is connected via a bending spring to the needle holder. The stiffness of the bending spring is adjustable, and so the hardness of the puncturing movement can be varied.
Document TW 2014 06322 describes a machine for permanent eyebrow make-up. This machine comprises at least one machine body, a needle holder assembly, and a tattooing needle, and can also comprise a holding protection tube, a needle cover, and a needle cover protector for application.